The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 2 Spring 2012 | Page 18

Herbs Sweet Basil by Matt Miller and Sarah Wild Originally from India, Sweet basil has been regarded as having extraordinary powers, claiming fame in the realms of religion, medicine and cooking. A bit of background Sweet basil is the common name given to the herb Ocimum basilicum, which is related to the mint family Lamiaceae. It was often used by nobility and royalty in their baths, perfume and their medication. The word ‘basil’ originates from Greek, meaning ‘king’. It has played a big part in history from embalming mummies in Egypt to a symbol of love in Italy. Legend has it that it was even the cure for the bite of the dragon-like creature known as a basilisk. Pesto Pesto sauce goes with pasta and other savoury snacks and can be whipped up in 10 minutes. Cooking with basil Basil, commonly used in Italian cooking, makes a wonderful pesto and complements any tomato dish. Use fresh basil, as it is more aromatic and flavoursome than dried basil. When cooking with fresh basil, it is best added last as cooking destroys the flavour. Fresh basil leaves can also be frozen but coat them with oil before doing so. Basil can also be used to make oil for salad dressings by pounding the fresh leaves and mixing with olive oil. Caprese salad Throw together a simple traditional Italian salad, suitable for the warmer weather. • Layer alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, adding a basil leaf between each. • Drizzle on balsamic vinegar and olive oil if you so desire. 2 cups fresh basil leaves 1/2 cup olive oil 2 cloves of chopped garlic 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste • Blend the chopped basil, oil, garlic and nuts at high speed until pureed. • Pour mixture into a bowl and thoroughly mix in salt and parmesan cheese. • Serve your pesto with hot drained pasta, baked pumpkin or hot jacket potatoes. • Your pesto sauce can be kept in the refrigerator or it can be frozen. Growing basil Basil likes a rich, well-drained soil and needs plenty of sunlight. It is sensitive to the cold, so grow it in warm, sunny conditions and protect it against the cold and frost. If you grow it in a pot inside, make sure it is in a warm spot which receives more than 6 hours of sunlight. This annual grows to about 40 – 60 cm high and should be planted 30 cm apart. To encourage a bushy plant, pinch out the growing tips. You should also remove any flower heads to prolong the life of the bush as when a plant produces flowers, the foliage production stops and the energy is put into the flowers. Sweet basil is propagated from seed. If you grow basil from seed, it is best to sow in a tray and then transplant, but watch out for wilt, a soil borne fungal disease, which will kill your plant in the seedling stages. When it is ready, plant out into the garden or pots. Sweet basil is an annual so stagger seed sowing or buy plants regularly to keep up a constant supply. Young plants can be purchased from nurseries to plant in your herb garden. 18